


someone will love you, let me go

by fightingsumdemons



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Delena Bashing, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Love, Moving On, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Break Up, Relationship(s), Resurrection, Stefan Salvatore-centric, The Cure, Time Skips, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-21 16:27:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30024561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fightingsumdemons/pseuds/fightingsumdemons
Summary: A different take on Stefan Salvatore's life after Elena Gilbert chooses his brother; in other words, a new path.((POST 4X22 AU, STEBEKAH ENDGAME, FOR ANY STEFAN-LOVERS OUT THERE))
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett/Malachai "Kai" Parker, Caroline Forbes/Tyler Lockwood, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore (past relationship), Rebekah Mikaelson/Stefan Salvatore, Stefan Salvatore/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 18





	1. CHAPTER 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Originalbarbieklaus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Originalbarbieklaus/gifts).



> \- 4X22 AU WITH CHANGES:  
> 1\. Silas doesn't break out of Bonnie's spell
> 
> \- If you're a fan of Delena, this story is NOT for you. Please exit this story, you won't enjoy the content; from this point, you read at your own discretion.
> 
> \- This is a Stefan-centric story, it's based mostly on character. The supernatural elements of TVD are going to get wrapped up pretty quickly, just because it's not a focus of this story.
> 
> \- You can also find this story on fanfiction.net, or feel free to check out my other TVD fanfics!
> 
> \- This story is dedicated to originalbarbieklaus, who encouraged me to post this and finish up this story. You're the best!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or the Originals, I make no money from this.

Stefan watches Silas’s body sink slowly to the bottom of the quarry, becoming more and more faint. He feels like he might as well be down there himself, descending towards rock bottom. He can hear Lexi’s voice echoing in his head, urging him to let go and move on; he had thought up Portland as his next destination, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea. 

It’s the only thing that he’s actually certain of, the only decision that feels right. 

So he gets back in the car, starting the ignition and begins to drive on, following the signs to Portland; he’s not sure if this is the start of a few miserable decades, a spiral into becoming the Ripper of Monterey, or a fresh beginning entirely, finally breaking away from the past. He finds that he doesn’t care what his options are, after all, there isn’t much point in existing anymore. 

* * *

**1 MONTH**

* * *

“Tyler’s finally back, which is a relief to say the least,” Caroline laughs, “Matt’s gonna move in with him when he gets back from Europe with Rebekah, I'm helping to sell Matt's house, so he'll have some money for college. I think it's getting easier for Tyler, not having his mom around, and once Matt comes back, it'll be better too. I’ve been doing a little redecorating, but I don’t want to be an overkill with the overhaul of furniture, I know it’s still his home.”

“That's good to hear, I’m glad Tyler’s back with you,” Stefan admits plainly; him and Tyler have never been best friends, but the happiness is genuine considering what Tyler has lost in the past year.

“What about you? How’s Portland, anything exciting? It’s a brand new city, plenty of things for you to do.”

Stefan eyes the waterfront of Portland, and the array of bright lights from around the city. It really is a beautiful view at night, but it’s miserable to be sharing it with no one; Stefan doesn't want his own feelings to weigh down on Caroline, so he avoids the truth. “I’m settling into my apartment, going on runs every morning. The feeding situation has been a little difficult, but I’m managing. I got a job, too.”

“What?! Omigod, that’s great! What do you do? I bet it’s something really glamorous.”

Stefan chuckles, “Er, well...I’m a bartender, at a pub called the Rum Club.”

“Just a bartender?” Caroline’s disappointment is evident through the phone, and it makes Stefan smile, “I guess that is kind of cool, meeting new people and watching them get super drunk. You serve the drinks, watch the party unfold, you’re like a wise mentor pouring some guy a scotch. Maybe throw him some advice, watch somebody get a drink thrown in their face--”

“It’s really not that dramatic, Caroline.”

“Don’t ruin this for me! It sounds much cooler this way, Stefan. So...you haven't heard from anyone else in Mystic Falls?”

Stefan stiffens, knowing that it’s most likely code for Elena and Damon. “Not really, no. Actually, Bonnie did text me once. Said she was sorry to see me leave, and that she's travelling right now.”

“Oh! That’s good...but no one else, right?”

Stefan can’t help but internally laugh at Caroline’s tact. “No, Elena and Damon haven’t talked to me at all. You know, I would’ve told you if either of them did.”

“Right. Sorry, I was just checking.”

“How...how are they doing, anyway?” Stefan tries to keep his voice light, but it still feels suffocating. Damon is his brother, and Elena...well, he still loves her; he still cares about them, even though he shouldn’t. 

“Honestly? I think they’re fine...I haven’t really seen them that much this summer. Elena’s always at the boardinghouse, even Jeremy is outside more than her. I think I’ve seen her like, twice. It’s no fun since you’re not there, and Damon is still disgusting as usual. God, I miss you _and_ Bonnie. She never has time to call, it sucks. Anyways, I was just asking because of Elena was thinking of calling you, just to see how you're doing but I told her no...was that the right thing to do? It felt like it at the time, but maybe I should’ve asked you first.”

“You did the right thing,” Stefan reassures her, “I’m not ready to speak, let alone communicate with her at all.”

“If it helps, I still think she’s making the biggest mistake of her life, and she’s dating a devil man-child.”

Stefan manages a weak chuckle, “Thanks, but Elena doesn’t see it that way, and I need to move on. No use in believing that anything’s going to change.”

“I really hope for your sake, that you do move on. You deserve to find love more than anyone, I believe the pain will fade one day. Remember what I said at prom?”

Stefan smiles, but his vision is blurry with tears, “I’ll meet someone new, fall in love someday, something like that.”

“Exactly. You deserve someone that’s ready to put you, and _only_ you, in first place. It's going to happen, I know it will.”

“I really, really hope that’s true.”

* * *

**3 ½ MONTHS**

* * *

Another girl in a sparkly purple dress approaches Stefan, hips swaying with a secretive smile; Stefan smiles politely, leaning forward to take her order under the colourful lights of the Rum Club. 

“Could I get a martini, and maybe your number along with that?” the girl asks smoothly, and Stefan is once again caught off-guard. 

It’s not exactly a new thing, plenty of girls have asked him out in the past couple months but it’s always gets him a little flustered; even though he’s single with no Elena in his life, he says no every time. His coworkers make fun of him, they ask if there’s another girl but he can never muster the words to give them a real answer; how can he explain what he had with Elena, something so beautiful yet so complex that ended up shattered in a million pieces? 

“Sorry, not interested,” Stefan replies kindly, “but the martini is available, let me get that ready for you.”

The girl immediately deflates, but nods anyway; Stefan quickly fixes her drink, he can tell that she’s embarrassed and as soon as he puts it on the counter, she immediately grabs it and disappears into the crowd of people at the club. Stefan sighs, serving up another customer and continues working; someone else approaches the bar, and Stefan looks up carelessly.

He does a double-take, taking her in and for a second his heart thumps so loudly in his ears; she’s come back for him, she’s really here and he feels like he’s about to burst, until he looks closer and realizes something’s off. Her hair is in curls, but they’re too wild to be her hair, even her clothes are more sexy and dark; her eyes are twinkling mischievously, like there’s a secret waiting to be unwrapped with a smirk on her lips. This woman is not Elena, Stefan concedes sadly, but rather the one and only Katherine Pierce. 

“Humanity suits you,” Stefan greets her casually. If Katherine’s here, it can’t mean anything good. 

“Always so sweet. How’s my favourite Salvatore doing, hmm? Pretending to be a bartender in Portland, it’s very hipster of you,” Katherine observes, and Stefan can tell his coworkers are staring at him and his mysterious friend. 

“I needed a fresh start, but you probably already knew that.”

“Yes, I did hear about how my dumb doppelgänger chose Damon over you. I guess becoming a vampire really addled her brain,” Katherine shakes her head with her laugh, but Stefan is not amused. 

“What are you doing here? I know you, Katherine, you want something.”

“I’m afraid this conversation is going to have to wait, your manager doesn’t look too happy to see us talking. I’ll wait for your shift to finish,” Katherine points out conversationally, tossing her hair over her shoulder and pretends to observe the crowd; Stefan focuses back on the bar, ignoring his manager’s beady eyes. 

* * *

“How have you been running around all this time, now that you’re human?” Stefan asks Katherine, walking along the quiet city streets of Portland; he’s finally gotten off work at four in the morning, with a somewhat tired Katherine walking by his side. 

“I had a little bit of money lying around, it's been helpful. I’ve had to pick up some human tricks for getting around, and of course I can always rely on some clueless man to help out a poor, sweet girl just looking to get home to her family,” Katherine simpers, smiling wickedly and Stefan shakes his head exasperatedly. 

“Nice to see that humanity hasn’t changed you.”

“It’s a nuisance, that’s what it is,” Katherine scowls, and Stefan smiles. 

“I suspect you’re about to tell me exactly what you’re doing here.”

Katherine turns to face him, looking unusually serious with her arms crossed, “Look, rumours have gotten around that I’m human now. People are looking for me, trying to find out more about the Cure and they either want to find me to kill me, or interrogate me on how I did it. I’m not about to go out like that, I’m not giving anyone the satisfaction of revenge.”

“So...what, you want me to help you run from your enemies until you die naturally?”

“No. I want you to turn me.”

Stefan frowns, “And you’re sure this’ll work, me turning you again?”

“I’ve managed to talk to a few witches this past couple months, trying to learn more about the Cure. Apparently, I could extract it from my body, and it won’t be just one Cure, no longer one tiny dose. I know you, Stefan. I’m giving you an opportunity to become human again, as long as _you_ help me run around for the time being, and turn me into a vampire again. What do you say? Do we have a deal?” 

* * *

**4 MONTHS**

* * *

“--drain me until there's only a pint left, and then feed me your blood, kill me and then we’ll see what happens,” Katherine explains, but Stefan shakes his head.

“That isn’t any different, the blood will still be in your system. If anything, you could just end up being fully dead.”

“You keep denying what needs to be done, and remember, it's _my_ life on the line here, not yours. Just accept--”

“There are other options out there!”

“We have reached out to vampires, witches, even werewolves from around the world, and nothing. We’re already taking risks by contacting them. We’re cornered, Stefan, and our deal is starting to look like it needs to be fulfilled. Don’t you want to be human?”

“You know I do, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to put you at a risk by doing--” Stefan starts to argue angrily, when his phone rings; he picks it up, pressing the answer button, him and Katherine still glowering at each other. “Hello?”

“Stefan?” Caroline’s low voice is wobbling, and he can hear her sniffling, clearly upset about something. Stefan turns away, his anger at Katherine evaporating and he heads into the other room for privacy. 

“Caroline, what’s wrong? Is everything okay, is someone hurt?” Stefan asks hurriedly, clutching the phone tightly. 

“I-It’s Bonnie. S-She’s dead, Jeremy told us. She’s been dead ever since the veil first came down, when she put Silas down for g-good...I can’t believe she’s been gone this whole summer,” Caroline cries, and Stefan practically collapses on his bed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

For a moment it feels unreal, because Bonnie cannot be dead, she’s the strongest out of everyone and always used her magic to help everyone, even when none of them deserved it. After everything, this can’t be how she goes. Kind and gentle Bonnie, always ready to save her friends no matter what. 

“I’ll come back right away, I’m in Florida but I can make it back to Mystic Falls by tomorrow, I’ll buy a plane ticket tonight. When’s the funeral, when should I--” 

“N-No, you don’t have to, Stefan. I know how painful it will be for you, seeing Elena and Damon along with Bonnie dying, you don’t have to. You and Katherine, what you’re doing is important.”

“Caroline, I want to be there for you and everyone else. What kind of a friend would I be to Bonnie, if I’m not there to even attend her funeral?”

“Bonnie knows what you’ve been doing, Stefan, how important the Cure is to you. She said the witches talk, she hears things...at least that’s what Jeremy said. Call Jeremy, alright? He’ll help you talk to Bonnie.”

* * *

“Stefan?”

“Jeremy, hey. I’m so sorry about Bonnie, I can't imagine having to keep a secret like that for months. It was really kind of you to help her like that, I know that you two loved each other,” Stefan says tentatively, and he can hear Jeremy trying to steady his breathing. 

“Thanks, I really appreciate it. You know, I always liked you better than Damon. I don’t know what Elena sees in that asshole, sometimes it feels like torture living in the boardinghouse.”

Stefan blinks, surprised by the blunt honesty and a little sorry for Jeremy, “It’ll get better with time, I'm sure your sister knows what she's doing. Anyways, I hope this isn’t too much to ask of you, but I wanted to talk to Bonnie.” 

“Oh! Oh, yeah, she’s here. She says hi, she heard about you working with Katherine Pierce. Don’t worry, no one else knows. Well, we know that Caroline knows but no one else.”

“Thanks. I can’t say it’s an ideal partnership, but we both want something from the other, so it works out well enough. It helps to distract me, which is a plus. But if I should come home, then I will. Seriously, I want to know if she wants me at her funeral, because I can be back in town by tomorrow.”

“Bonnie...she said that you don’t have to come back for the funeral. She understands why, she won’t hold it against you.”

“Well, she should.”

“Yeah, maybe. It would be worth a lot more if Bonnie was alive to actually say this to you, I just wish there was a way to bring her back. I mean, she shouldn't be dead, she should be preparing for college...”

Stefan runs a hand over his face tiredly, feeling drained by the news of Bonnie's death, “You're right. I...I want to make things right for Bonnie. She didn't deserve to die, she was supposed to live a happy life. I want to help Bonnie, I've hurt her in the past and I've been careless, I didn't put enough consideration into her role when things would go sideways. Let me see what I can do, just hold on. I'm going to find some way to help Bonnie.”

* * *

**5 MONTHS**

* * *

Stefan glances at Katherine, her eyes fluttering slightly as more blood fills up the bag. There’s already three bloodbags sitting on the table beside it, and soon it’ll be ten. Stefan can sense Katherine getting weaker, the allure of her blood is so powerful but he’s managing. It's the promise of what the blood will bring that stifles him, reminds him to control his thirst if he wants to become human again. 

Stefan walks over to Katherine, bending down in front of her and places a gentle hand on her knee, “You doing okay? How are you feeling, should I get you something to eat?”

“I’m fine, Stefan,” Katherine replies, opening her eyes and smiles weakly, gripping his hand tightly. He doesn't pull away, deciding to let her hold his hand, just this once. “You know, that feeling inside you, the pain that aches in your heart, it isn't going to last forever. One day, it'll fade into nothing but a faint memory."

Stefan shifts uncomfortably, giving Katherine a bitter smile, “Not sure why I should be taking advice from you of all people, considering your life's history."

“Maybe not,” Katherine shrugs, “Things don’t always work out for me, but I adapt. Life goes on, and so do I. You might want to try out that strategy, it's not like you don't have options here. Get your blood problem under control, or better yet, take the Cure right now. Start your human life, get the idyllic family and the house with the white-picket fence.”

There’s no denying that Katherine has a point, but something else is stopping him; he’s not sure if he’s ready to fully accept humanity just yet. “Soon, maybe. Just not today.” 

* * *

Stefan’s staring down at the bloodbag in his hands, before carefully wrapping it in his coat; Katherine has been newly turned, she’s a baby vampire now and has to regain her skill, but Stefan knows she’ll get there. They’ve spent the last week in Nevada, but they’re finally parting ways; Katherine is going to Canada, she’s going to stay in Vancouver and Stefan’s thinking of heading to Australia. It'll give him time to think about the Cure, and the warm weather is an added bonus. 

He has to keep the Cure close by now, Katherine has left with the other nine bloodbags, leaving Stefan with one as part of their deal. He bought a few witch herbs and got a cloaking spell done on it to mask the bloodbag, it's always in a small woooden chest, wrapped up and hidden among his things. It’s just a matter of figuring out when and where to use it; how to decide where his new home will be, when the Cure will come in handy.

The phone rings, and Stefan checks the caller ID; it’s just Caroline. He lets out a sigh of relief, answering the phone, “Hey, did it work?”

“Hey Stefan,” Bonnie’s sweet voice is soft through the phone, and Stefan laughs happily. 

“Bonnie...it's so good to hear your voice. How are you feeling?" 

"I'm feeling good so far, just trying to adjust back to regular life. I'm going to Whitmore next week, I'm a little late for the semester but Caroline managed to compel the admissions office."

"That's great, I'm glad to hear you're okay. I'm just sorry that I wasn’t there to help, I still feel like I should’ve been there as support or something. If you need me to come back now, I will."

"That's a really kind offer, but not necessary...I think I'll be alright. Besides you did more than help. I know you were the one who sent Lucy to Mystic Falls to help resurrect me, along with that other witch...Valerie, right?"

"She owed me a favour, and I thought you needed it more than I did."

"See, you basically saved my life. I owe _you_ now."

“You’ve saved me more than once, call it even. You deserve to live and be happy, Bonnie. I forgot to ask, do you still have your magic?”

“No...I can’t practice magic anymore. It’s the loophole, Nature’s way of finding a balance with Silas bound up. I’m basically human now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, I know how much you enjoyed being a witch,” Stefan offers sincerely. 

“Yeah, in a way I do miss it, but I dunno, maybe it’ll be a blessing in disguise,” Bonnie replies pensively, and Stefan can hear a door open in the background, Caroline is saying something about snacks. “Listen, I better go. Caroline has a whole girls night planned out.”

“Of course, yeah. You can call me anytime, okay? Don’t hesitate, I’m here whether you need help or just a friend.”

“Don’t worry, I know. Talk to you later, Stefan.”

“See you, Bonnie.”

* * *

**8 MONTHS**

* * *

Stefan grabs his surfboard from the water, slinging it under his shoulder and runs a hand through his wet hair; he’s thinking of trying another beach tomorrow for surfing, it’s an hour away but he doesn’t mind the drive. He’s had to buy a jeep, his Porsche has been in storage while he’s in Australia but it’s no strain on his wallet.

“I saw you surfing out there, you were great,” Stefan looks up to see a pretty girl with black hair and dark eyes smiling at him, carrying a surfboard of her own and she has a wetsuit on; Stefan realizes he’s seen her around a couple times in this area, usually by herself or with friends. 

“Thanks, I think I’ve seen you out there before too, you aren’t bad either. Do you live here?” Stefan asks politely. 

“I’ve been here for a year now, I transferred to a university in this area. I’m Kara, by the way,” she extends a hand, and Stefan shakes it. 

“I’m Stefan, it’s nice to meet you.”

“You’re new here, aren’t you? Besides the accent, I can tell, but you seem too young to be by yourself,” Kara points out, and Stefan smiles a little.

“Yeah, I've only been here for a couple months. I'm a little older than I look, I wanted a fresh start and this kinda felt like the place to be."

“That’s the best kind of fun to have, especially here,” Kara smiles, suddenly looking bashful and almost avoiding his gaze, “I hope this isn’t too forward, I know we just met but did you want to go out sometime? Just for fun, we could go as friends or a date, totally casual.”

Stefan's not sure if he should accept, he thinks about Elena more than he should and his heart hasn’t let go of her yet; Caroline’s suddenly words pop into his head, and he can hear her telling him _one day, you’ll be happy again_ and he’s going to listen, try to get happiness for himself. 

“Sure, I'd love to go on a date with you.”

* * *

**11 MONTHS**

* * *

“I’ll be done in ten minutes, I swear!” Kara calls, and Stefan shakes his head with a grin. 

“You say that every time! This is _your_ school event, just remember who’s going to get judged,” Stefan yells back. 

“It’s called being fashionably late, Stefan!”

Stefan rolls his eyes, laughing softly; him and Kara have been dating for three months now, and it’s been going well. It’s pretty casual, Kara has no interest in anything serious and they keep each other company; she makes him laugh, they go out to college parties together and they have a good time together. Although Stefan hasn't told her that he's a vampire, it's easy to be with Kara; even when he explained why he's in Australia, how he got out of a relationship and isn’t quite over it, Kara didn't really mind.

The pain of not being with Elena is still there, but the wound is starting to heal, little by little. She's been texting him, but he deletes the messages without looking at them, it's just easier that way. Damon has texted a few times, and Stefan merely gives short responses, considering the current state of their relationship. He still talks to Caroline on a weekly basis, him and Bonnie text a couple times a month but that's about it; only Caroline really knows that he’s seeing Kara.

The phone rings, and Stefan picks it up, thinking it's Caroline; it's her finals week, so she's been calling him non-stop, freaking out about her exams and final projects. Stefan doesn't mind calming her down, but her worries are starting to become far-fetched. 

“Caroline, listen, you need to stop freaking out, okay? You realize you can just compel the teacher to give you a good mark, right?” Stefan answers, trying not to sound too exasperated. 

“Um, sorry, this isn’t Caroline. It’s...it’s Elena,” Stefan immediately stiffens at the sound of her voice, shutting his eyes for a moment. 

“Why are you calling me?” his voice sounds so cold, so numb yet he’s crumbling on the inside. 

“I...I just wanted to check up on you, see how you were doing, we all miss you, it’s been so long. How have you been?”

“I’m fine. How have you and Damon been?”

“We’re fine."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah...well, I don't know, it's been kind of tense lately. Sometimes he's so hard to manage, it can be a pain to deal with him. Yesterday, he wanted me to--"

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand, is this why you called me? To talk about your problems with Damon?”

There’s silence on the other end, Stefan can tell that Elena’s startled by the blunt question. “N-No! I mean, it’s you, you always know what to do, i-it’s so easy to talk to you. I’ve just been thinking a lot lately, it’s been hard because I feel like there’s no one for me to really talk--”

“Okay, okay, I’m finally ready! Are you ready to go, Stef?” Kara walks into the room, oblivious to the phone call. 

“Who’s that?” Elena demands, immediately switching from frazzled to suspicious; Stefan forgot about the pesky vampire hearing. 

“No one that you need to know about,” Stefan replies firmly, “Goodbye, Elena.”

Kara looks up, tuning into the name Elena, “Elena? Was that your ex? As in, your ex-girlfriend that’s dating your brother?” 

“Unfortunately,” Stefan grimaces, shoving his phone in his pocket and walks over to the doorway, getting ready to leave. 

“Good for you, cutting her off like that. Do you want to talk about it, or leave it alone?” Kara asks, giving him a kiss on the cheek and he manages to give her a small smile. 

“Tonight’s your night, we don’t have to talk about it. C’mon, let’s go.”

* * *

**1 YEAR AND 3 MONTHS**

* * *

“Stefan, you should’ve seen the look on her face, I thought Elena was going to burst into song and dance when I told her that you and Kara broke up. But then Damon basically snapped at her, asking why she looked so happy...then I had to sneak out, because they started arguing,” Caroline explains through the phone, he can hear her rifling through her closet. Apparently there's some sort of rave going on at Whitmore, so Caroline's going out with Bonnie and Tyler to party. 

“That sounds awkward,” Stefan answers truthfully, he’s not sure how to respond to something like that. “I mean, I’ve been gone for more than a year. I don't see why I'm still in the picture.”

“I couldn't give you a straight answer either. They're so weird, like when they kiss and make out, they seem great until they actually start talking," Caroline snorts, “Remember what I said, about Elena’s birthday? She wanted to invite you, Damon suddenly went into interrogation mode and next thing I know, they’re having a yelling match about all this stuff I didn’t even know about.”

“Can you say that you’ve made it easy for her to talk to you?”

“Ugh, make it less obvious that you care. Elena made her choice, now she has to deal with it. If she didn’t want to be with Damon, then she should’ve picked you or no one! Why should I listen to her and all the ways that Damon isn’t you? She’s always saying he’s too violent, he’s always picking on all of us, and every time they argue, he goes on a feeding rampage afterwards.”

“She’s your best friend, you’re in a successful relationship, surely you’ve got some advice for her.”

“I’m not sure if I enjoy this new attitude of yours...what is Madrid doing to you?” Caroline demands, and Stefan laughs. 

“Goodbye, Caroline.”

Stefan hangs up, ignoring Caroline’s huff and reluctant goodbye; he’s still trying to adapt to the timezone, but so far the first week of living in Spain has been pretty good. Things had been great with Kara, Australia had been fun but Kara had gotten the chance to study in California as part of a college exchange program. Neither of them had been interested in long-distance, so they'd helped each other pack up, said their goodbyes at the airport and parted ways.

Stefan did miss her company at times, Kara had been vibrant and fun, exactly what Stefan had needed for a few months. But his time in Australia had run out, and he was perfectly content to move on to the next place. But the Cure was still untouched and unused, stashed away with his possessions; Stefan had briefly considered taking it while he'd been with Kara, but it still didn’t feel right. In all honesty, it's hard to know when someplace would actually feel like home. Stefan's about to cross the street, heading to a nearby café for a coffee when he spots a certain blonde-haired Mikaelson standing across at the corner of the street. 

Rebekah’s hair is in soft waves, she's wearing a black trenchcoat and talking to someone on the phone; their eyes meet, hers widening with recognition and Stefan, unsure of what to do, nods in greeting. She does the same, sparing him a tiny smile before turning away and he continues walking. 

* * *

**1 YEAR AND 5 MONTHS**

* * *

“You’re here!” Caroline squeals, jumping into his arms with a hug and Stefan laughs. “I can't believe you're back! I know you're only visiting, but still, it's just so good to finally see you again. I mean I know we talk every week, but this is so much more exciting! Ugh, I've missed you."

"It's good to see you too, Care, happy birthday. It really has been a long time...have you been waiting at the front door this whole time?” Stefan asks, eyeing the large party of people walking around the Lockwood mansion. 

“I just wanted to help you get settled, that way we can figure out where everyone is, maybe get you a drink? Ooh, did you get me a gift?!” Caroline’s eyes automatically zoom in on the gift in Stefan’s hand, and Stefan gives it to her obligingly. “Omigod, it’s probably from Madrid, right?”

“Of course it is,” Stefan replies, before being steered into the throng of people. They walk around the party, squeezing past the crowd of people when they finally spot Bonnie, Matt and Tyler. “Hey guys.”

“Stefan! You came, it’s good to see you,” Bonnie hugs Stefan warmly, while the guys give Stefan a clap on the shoulder and rowdy greetings. It's a little off-putting, seeing how old everyone is; Bonnie's in a red dress with soft curls, but even she looks older and it's the same with Matt, whose jawline is sharp with stubble and his hair is longer than usual. Stefan can at least find relief in Caroline and Tyler's forever unchanging appearance, it's nice to know some things never change. 

* * *

“I’ve been following my Grams, looking into Occult studies. It’s actually really interesting, and it makes me feel closer to her,” Bonnie muses, nursing a cup of beer.

“That sounds great, Whitmore's a good school for that stuff. How is it living with Caroline?" Stefan asks, and Bonnie sighs dramatically. 

“Very organized, unfortunately. There’s a very specific strategy when using the washroom and she likes to plan out study schedules for us. Not that we ever stick to it, of course.”

Stefan laughs, “Isn’t that the college experience? Having fun with friends and having to learn to live with a roommate?”

“Well, to be fair, you’re having more fun than me. Australia, now Madrid? You’re travelling the world, it must be so exciting! Which do you like better?”

“Depends on the type of fun you want. Australia is nice if you want to do more adventurous things, but Madrid is great for learning more about history, art, culture. Jetlag isn't the easiest thing to deal with, it's probably more difficult to deal with as a human but it'll pass."

“It sounds nice...I’d love to travel once I finish school. I’d have trouble just picking the first place to go.”

“You can always come visit me, I don’t mind. I’ll even pay for your ticket if you want.”

Bonnie’s grinning, about to respond when she closes her mouth abruptly, looking behind him and Stefan turns around with a sense of dread, looking at his brother and Elena; Elena looks nervous, and Damon is smirking but Stefan can see it in his eyes, he’s just as afraid as Elena. What he’s afraid of, Stefan's a little confused about that part. 

“Hey, I’m glad you came,” Elena greets him timidly, and Damon nods, looking quite surly.

“I didn’t want to miss it, it’s Caroline’s birthday after all. But I’m only here for a day, then I go back to Madrid,” Stefan replies politely, and Elena’s face falls. 

“Just a day? You don’t have to go back so soon, stay longer!”

Stefan gives her a tense smile, “That’s nice of you to offer, Elena, but I already have a place in Madrid. I’m fine with staying a day, and it's good enough for Caroline too.”

This only seems to make Elena more upset, “You belong in Mystic Falls, Stefan. All of us would love for you to stay, please. It’s been more than a year, you’ve been gone long enough. I know you and...that girl aren’t together anymore, there’s nothing stopping you from coming back--”

“Elena, Stefan said--” Damon interrupts, but Elena fixes him with a glare.

“You’re just happy he’s not around, you don’t even care--”

“That’s _not_ what I meant--”

“He’s your _brother_ , your ONLY FAMILY and you’re basically throwing him out--”

“BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY AREN’T HAPPY WITH YOUR CHOICE!” Damon yells, and the crowd around them quiets, seemingly realizing a fight is about to erupt. 

“That’s not true,” Elena replies weakly, and Damon laughs bitterly. 

“Really? You were _so_ jealous of him and his girlfriend, I could hear you going on about it to Bonnie. Vampire hearing, remember? You can’t hide anything from me.”

“I am _not_ jealous! This happens every time, I have to walk around eggshells when I’m with you, and I hate it. I’m so sick of it!” Elena yells defensively, and Stefan watches awkwardly as his brother and his ex-girlfriend continue to fight. 

* * *

“I’m sorry, I feel like I ruined your birthday,” Stefan admits, sitting on the steps of the Lockwood mansion with Caroline. It's a little after 2 in the morning, the party is officially over and everyone's gone home after a night of drinking and dancing. 

“Nah, you didn’t. Elena and Damon did, by bringing in their stupid drama. I didn’t even really want him there, but Elena kept hounding me to invite him. I’m just happy that I got to see you again. Maybe next time, I’ll come to you,” Caroline offers quietly, smiling a little. 

“Well, another successful birthday checked off, right?” Stefan remarks, and Caroline laughs. 

“I don’t think it’s been successful since I was turned by Katherine,” Caroline’s smile fades, looking pensive, “What about the Cure? Why haven’t you taken it yet? You have the chance to actually celebrate your birthday again.”

Stefan shrugs, “I keep waiting for the right time, but it never seems to come. It feels like I’m waiting for something, a good reason to finally become human.”

“I think that you just need to stop looking for the moment. Focus on creating a life for yourself, figure out what makes you happy. Start living like how you would if you were human, and one day, when you’re ready, take the Cure.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“And it will be easy, once you settle into the kind of life you want. What’s a couple more years to a vampire?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, kudos and comments are appreciated! Update coming soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Thank you for the lovely comments, I really do appreciate it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or the Originals, I make no money from this.

* * *

**1 YEAR AND 9 MONTHS**

* * *

"I've got it from here, thank you for your help, I appreciate it," Stefan says, taking the last box from the mover; the movers exchange looks, probably wondering about how he's gonna move around the rest of his furniture but they leave anyway.

After a couple months of deliberation, he's decided to see if San Francisco will be a good city to settle down and try to "create" his human life. He's visited the city a couple times in the past, but it's been a couple decades and the reasons for his move are somewhat different than before. Plus, all types of careers tend to flourish in big cities, which might help Stefan figure out what job he'd like to have in the future; he used to want to be a doctor, he could still go to med school once he becomes human. He has plenty of money to fund his educational pursuits, but it's not 1864 anymore, there's a large expanse of jobs to choose from.

He looks around the bare walls of his new apartment, surrounded by bubble-wrapped furniture and towering cardboard boxes; it wouldn't hurt to paint the place, get some colour and actually make it look more like a home.

He actually feels pretty hopeful about this move.

* * *

**1 YEAR AND 11 MONTHS**

* * *

Stefan watches with amusement as Dante approaches a woman in a black dress, spurred on by his college friends and hoping to get the woman's number; Stefan had met Dante at the gym, they were each other's spotting partners, which had led to Dante inviting him to go out to a nightclub with his friends. Stefan knows he still looks seventeen, maybe a little older but no one really comments on it. Dante's friends are pretty nice, they're in all in the same program as Dante; one of them is extremely buff with intense eyes, there's a skinny guy who holds his liquor pretty well and two girls that are social butterflies, their highlighted hair carefully styled in soft curls.

Stefan finds that he enjoys this odd group of friends, and it's been awhile since he's had a fun night out with other people. The songs the club plays aren't half-bad either, even though Stefan doesn't recognize most of them. Still, he taps his foot along to the bass of the music, listening to Dante's friends snicker about some funny story from class when he catches a whiff of a familiar smell, a perfume that he's inhaled before and he stands up, looking for a girl with blonde hair.

"I think I see a friend of mine, I'll be right back," Stefan yells over the loud music, and everyone nods; he descends into the crowd of people, trying to follow that specific scent out of the array of sweat and alcohol. He walks into a quiet hallway, only a couple of people lingering and clearly inebriated. He frowns a little, deciding to just rejoin his group when someone grabs his arm, whirling him around and he's slammed against the wall, staring into the dark-blue eyes of Rebekah Mikaelson.

"Are you stalking me, Salvatore? That's not very gentlemanly of you," Rebekah smiles, her arm pressed against his chest with a sly smile.

"Pure coincidence, I swear. I'm out with some friends tonight, I didn't even know you were in San Francisco. What are you doing here, anyway?" Stefan asks, observing her curiously as she releases him from her grip.

"Having fun, of course. Why else would I be at a nightclub? What about you, how come you're not in Mystic Falls? You're the last person I'd ever expect to be here of all places."

"I haven't been in Mystic Falls for months, I've been travelling this whole time. Spent some time in travelling around to different states, lived Australia and Madrid for awhile. I only moved to San Francisco a couple months ago."

"That's right, I heard that precious Elena chose Damon over you. Still, I'm surprised that you're not back there, I thought you would've stuck by your brother and your friends."

"They can handle themselves, things in Mystic Falls have quieted down. What about you? I thought you'd be in New Orleans with your brothers, I heard Klaus rules that city."

"Well, that part is true, he's king of New Orleans, his own precious family by his side now. Elijah's in Europe at the moment, with some new girlfriend but couldn't tell you who it is. They're happy where they are, and so am I."

"So, you're just travelling around the country? Last I heard, you went to Europe with Matt."

Rebekah laughs, "That was almost two years ago. It was fun, but I haven't really seen him since. Matt's a good guy, but there was never really a future for us anyway. After all, life never really stops when you're immortal."

Stefan nods, trying not to look too sympathetic, he can sense the bitterness in her tone. He remembers how desperately Rebekah wanted to be human, their brief partnership and while she did end up double-crossing him, he can't say he blames her after centuries of being immortal. He thinks about the Cure, locked in a safe back at his place and how humanity is so close in reach for him.

He knows that she wants to be human just as much as he does.

* * *

**2 YEARS AND 1 MONTH**

* * *

"Why are you making me do this?" Rebekah whines, reluctantly letting Stefan drag her onto the ferry.

"A long time ago, you said that you wanted to be human, and this is what humans do. You might as well be reinforcing the stereotype that vampires sleep all day in coffins, since you're an Original," Stefan remarks, leading her up to the top floor of the ferry.

"Haha, very funny," Rebekah replies, "but when I said I wanted to be human, a ferry ride was the last thing I had on my mind at the time."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're extremely picky?" Stefan counters, but he's smiling and he leads her to a spot next to the railing, jutting his head towards the view, "Come on, this is a pretty nice shot of the city. You have to admit, it's kind of nice to look at."

Rebekah slants him an unimpressed look, but the corner of her lips are upturned slightly and her eyes are playful, "It's not a complete waste of time, I suppose. I hope you have something interesting planned after this, I don't want to just stare at skyscrapers and be some boring old woman."

"You're hanging out with the former Ripper of Monterey, what's boring about that?" Stefan asks innocently, and Rebekah rolls her eyes good-naturedly, focusing back on the city horizon with her arm pressed against his.

She's basically the only person he really hangs out with, she comes over almost everyday, complains about the tiny size of his apartment until they go out, finding something to do for the day. They separate at night, since Stefan has to feed in a forest away from humans while Rebekah will go straight to a bar or nightclub of some kind. Sometimes they'd meet up at night, just for a drink or two but Stefan is careful not to drink too much, instead helping Rebekah get home safely even though she doesn't need his help.

He still hasn't told Caroline about him meeting Rebekah in San Francisco; their calls have been cut down to a couple times a month, Stefan doesn't blame her since they're leading different lives but he never mentions his new friendship with the Original. Even Bonnie, who's less likely to judge and still texts him, doesn't know about her either. Stefan's not sure why he's keeping her a secret, he knows that Rebekah was once considered the "bad guy" among his friends, but that's not why he's hiding it; he likes that this odd little friendship is just theirs for now, he's not quite ready to share it with anyone else yet.

* * *

**2 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS**

* * *

Stefan glances at Rebekah, chuckling a little at some comment she made about the radio announcer for a particular station and turns back to face the road, only noticing at the last second that a truck is heading straight towards them, smashing into the side of their car. Their car spins out, the airbags deployed as Stefan's head whiplashes severely, and he can hear Rebekah groaning beside him.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asks frantically, shifting to examine Rebekah. There's a couple bruises on her, there's a gash on her cheek but he can already see her supernatural-healing kicking in. "I'm sorry, I didn't see the truck coming, I didn't mean for you to get hurt, I should've--"

"Stefan, I'm fine, don't worry. Original, remember? A car crash is nothing," Rebekah replies soothingly, "Come on, let's get out of the car, check the damage, alright?"

Stefan can only nod, unable to speak and he manages to wrench his door open, stepping outside onto the road. Someone gets out of the trunk, a woman approaching Stefan slowly with a grim expression.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" the woman asks, but Stefan can only vaguely hear her, his eyes immediately going to the gash on the side of her head, blood dripping down her face. Some of it drops onto the pavement, and Stefan's body is _singing_ for it, begging for a little taste. "Sir, are you feeling alright?"

Rebekah suddenly comes up in front of Stefan, shielding the woman from his view, "Sorry, my friend's still in shock, and blood makes him nervous, but we're both okay. What about you, is there anything I can do to help?"

"I already called 911, but I think I just need to sit down...we'll probably need to exchange insurance too," the woman replies heavily, walking away but Stefan can still smell her blood, his hands clenched together tightly and he can feel black veins running along his face.

"Stefan? Stefan, hey, focus on me," Stefan vaguely hears Rebekah say, but he can still sense the blood calling for him, "Focus on my voice, Stefan. Listen to me, you're not going to feed. Do you understand? You're _not_ going to hurt anyone."

Stefan inhales a shaky breath, managing to shift his attention back to Rebekah, "Thank you. I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lose control like that--"

"You've got to stop saying sorry," Rebekah shakes her head, but there's no real anger in her voice, "It happens to the best of us, at some point we all have to try to control our urges. Besides, what are friends for?"

"Still, I don't know what I would've done if you weren't here," Stefan breathes out, feeling ashamed and guilty, avoiding Rebekah's gaze. "Thank you for helping me."

* * *

**2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS**

* * *

Stefan hops up on a lamppost, one hand in the air with a big grin, and Rebekah laughs, the sound echoing throughout the dark streets of San Francisco. Stefan can't help but secretly think that it sounds like magic, listening to the sweet lilt of her voice. Or, maybe it's just the rush of adrenaline coursing through him along with a couple shots; he spent the past couple hours dancing in a club with Rebekah, listening to old hits from 80s, relishing in the nostalgia of the era and the excitement of the club.

It's true, he's never been much of a dancer, but he hadn't protested once Rebekah pulled him onto the dance-floor. Maybe it had been the atmosphere or the drinks, but he'd immediately started twirling Rebekah around, much to her delight.

"You are such a child!" Rebekah exclaims, trying to sound disapproving but she's clearly grinning and Stefan jumps off the lamppost, grabbing Rebekah's hand and spins her around quickly. She stumbles a little, laughing again and Stefan is grinning too, watching as she brushes back her soft blonde hair, her laughter fading into a soft smile.

"Don't lie, when was the last time you danced like that?" Stefan asks, leaning against her slightly as they keep walking, the sounds of the city abuzz in the distance.

"With a total moron like you? Hard to say, it happens more often than you think."

"Oh, come on, you're _lying_. I'm a vampire, we're always better at dancing than the average man," Stefan jokes, and Rebekah shakes her head endearingly at his statement. He's still watching her out of the corner of his eye, examining her bright eyes and the contrast of her fair skin against a navy dress. "Do you like surfing?"

Rebekah glances at him, amused at the question, "When you've lived for hundreds of years, you learn to master a lot of things, including surfing. Why do you ask?"

"I'm thinking of going to Malibu, just to hit the beaches and surf, you should come with me," the words come out in a rush, Stefan's so anxious to hear her answer for some reason, "It'll be fun, I swear. Unless I kick your ass at surfing, of course."

Rebekah looks at him, narrowing her eyes as if she's trying to look right through him. Nonetheless, she smirks a little and answers, "Fine, I'll go with you. I gladly accept your challenge, I'm sure I'll be watching you wipe out every time you get up on your surfboard."

"Yeah, okay," Stefan chuckles, but suddenly the city looks even brighter and he's actually excited to go with her, he's genuinely looking forward to doing something fun and when did that ever happen?

* * *

Stefan comes up, sputtering a little and he can hear Rebekah laughing; he blinks, swimming over and gets back on his surfboard, looking at a slightly smug Rebekah.

"I don't think I've ever seen a wipeout like that before in all my years of living," she muses, her wet hair slicked back down her wetsuit. Did she always have so many freckles? Stefan can't even remember, but they suit her.

"I just lost my balance, that's all," Stefan protests, and she laughs.

"Yeah, right. Come on, there's another wave. Do you think you'll manage to stay on?"

"Watch me!" Stefan calls, already on his stomach and starts paddling away from the incoming tide, getting ready to stand back up again.

* * *

Stefan can feel Rebekah's eyes on him, silently observing him even though they're at the end of a pier in Malibu, supposedly watching the sunset. It's been a long day of surfing and going from beach to beach, finally winding down with a quiet dinner and walks around the general area.

"You know, the sun is actually right in front you, I'm not supposed to be the main attraction here," Stefan remarks jokingly, glancing at Rebekah with a smile and she ducks her head, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Do you miss her?"

"Hmm?" Stefan turns to face Rebekah, confused until realization sets in, that she's asking about Elena. "I don't know. It's been so long, I haven't seen her in months and we haven't been together for more than two and a half years. I think a part of me will always care about her no matter what, but it's not the same anymore. Our relationship is just a memory now, nothing more...haven't we had this conversation before?"

Rebekah smiles, brushing back her hair, "Probably, back when we were partners for the Cure. But it's different now, isn't it? Like you said, you've been gone for two years, haven't seen her at all. Let's say she showed up tomorrow, saying she made a mistake and begged you to take her back, what would you do?"

While Stefan would probably need to hear the reasons as to why she wants him back, he finds that it wouldn't really hold much relevance to him anyways. Time has passed, neither one of them are the same anymore, both of them are older now; not to mention there's the issue of Damon, who's wanted Elena for so long and losing her again to Stefan would be a hard loss. Most of all, he's moved on, there's no Elena-shaped hole in his heart anymore. He has no interest in rekindling anything with her, no point in settling after never fully having her heart. "No, I don't think I would take her back."

* * *

**2 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS**

* * *

"Bonnie, say hi to Stefan before you go! It'll only take a second," Caroline calls, and Stefan sees Bonnie wave in the background of a video call, clearly dressed up and going out for a special occasion of some kind. "Bonnie has a date with her boyfriend. Have a good time!"

"Thank you, Care. Bye!" Bonnie moves out of the frame, slamming the door and Caroline shakes her head, smiling fondly.

"She's so whipped. She's dating this guy named Kai, he's kind of a weirdo but I don't know, they seem really happy together. He's a witch too, you know."

Stefan chuckles, "I guess she just always comes back to witches in some way. Also, I feel like we have different definitions of weird, considering we're both vampires."

"Okay, I know, he's just a little odd, that's all. But then again, it's Bonnie. She can handle anyone, aneurysm or not. So, how's Rebekah?" Stefan doesn't miss the disapproving tone in Caroline's voice, and it reminds him briefly of Lexi.

"She's good, thank you for asking."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me right away that you guys were hanging out! You guys are basically best friends, going on trips together and doing stuff almost every day."

"Well, I knew how you'd react, not that I blame you but I just wanted to keep it a secret for a while. I like spending time with Rebekah and I didn't feel the need to share information about our friendship just yet at the time."

"Have you told her about the Cure?"

Stefan shifts uncomfortably in his seat, suddenly avoiding Caroline's gaze even though they're on video call, "No, I haven't told her about it."

"Why not? Didn't she really want it, when all of us were basically fighting to get it?"

Stefan lets out a small sigh, ducking his head, "I'm just waiting for the right time."

"Yeah, okay."

Something in Caroline's tone makes Stefan look up sharply, a knowing look on her face, "What?"

"I think you do have a reason for not telling her about the Cure, but you just don't want to admit it. The question is, what could that reason be?"

"Caroline. There's no reason, it's just a matter of the right moment. Whatever you're implying...it's not like that."

"Isn't it, though?"

* * *

"--total crap, it's hardly accurate and focuses more on the love story! If anything, I see all of them as more of a comedy," Rebekah scowls, her and Stefan crossing the street as the sky becomes darker, submerging from day into night. They've just finished watching a movie, and Rebekah has taken to critiquing movies of vampires specifically; Stefan doesn't mind listening, it's kind of amusing and it reminds him of how odd she can be.

"I'm guessing you don't approve of sparkling in the sun, then," Stefan turns to face her, both of them standing on their usual meeting spot, about to part ways for the night.

"God, no," Rebekah chuckles, before smiling softly as their eyes meet, "I guess I'll see you later."

Stefan's smile fades slowly, and he nods reluctantly, "Yeah, later. Have a good night."

She nods, walking away and Stefan doesn't like that, watching her leave and standing there by himself, no longer having her around for company. Next thing he knows, he's striding towards her and grabs her wrist, whirling her around to face him; she's clearly baffled, her brow furrowed and Stefan takes a deep breath, deciding to _finally_ take a chance.

"Why have you stayed?" he asks plainly, searching her eyes and he's still holding onto her wrist, "You're an Original, I know you're used to moving around so much. Why stay in San Francisco?"

Rebekah gives him a bittersweet smile, trying not to look bothered, "Don't you get it, Stefan? I've stayed because of you."

Stefan cups her cheeks gently, watching her eyes widen as he moves in closer, and kisses her softly. Rebekah's hands immediately go to his wrists, deepening the kiss and he's so happy that he could cry, they've kissed before but never like this. It's never felt this precious, not like a treasure that he's just uncovered; he's not going to let go of this, in a way he never really has and he _finally_ understands what Katherine's words, when she said the pain would fade, and how Caroline told him to stop searching for the perfect life. There's no turning back now, he's already halfway down this new path before he even realized it.

* * *

**2 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS**

* * *

"Screw whatever plans we have. I just want to stay in bed with you," Stefan says, using his strength to pin Rebekah back down, but in a flash he's the one that's pinned underneath her.

"You're such a sap," Rebekah remarks, before bending down to kiss him hungrily, and Stefan returns it eagerly, pushing her hair out of her face.

It's been three months of pure bliss for Stefan, restarting his relationship with Rebekah. It feels different this time around, considering strings are actually attached and his humanity is on; he likes it best this way, finally feeling as if he's gotten _them_ right. No one really knows besides Caroline (who saw it coming from a mile away) and Stefan would prefer to keep it a secret for now. They still hang out almost every day, except now they kiss and have sex. He's already had to replace his bed again for the fourth time, due to their vampire speed and strength; Rebekah is always smug, until it's her bed that breaks and she starts complaining, to which he shuts her up with a kiss.

The Cure still sits locked in a safe in his house, unused and he's had to use special herbs to cover up the scent from Rebekah; she'll get suspicious if she smells blood, and Stefan isn't quite ready to use it yet. He knows the longer he keeps it a secret, the angrier she'll be, which makes it all the more difficult since he doesn't want to break their happiness.

Stefan's phone rings suddenly, breaking them both out of their kiss and Rebekah gets off his torso, rolling off to the side and Stefan groans quietly; Rebekah glances back at him, smirking and grabs her robe off the floor.

"I'm going to take a shower, while you talk to whoever it is. You can join me when you're ready," she says, sauntering out of the room with a smirk. Stefan watches her leave reluctantly, before looking at the caller ID with a frown: it's Damon. He never calls, their relationship is strictly text-only.

"Hello? Damon?"

"Hello, brother. How's life in San Francisco? Should I be worried about a potential Ripper binge, or a humanity switch?" Damon's smooth voice asks crisply through the phone, and Stefan frowns.

"No, everything's fine. How's Mystic Falls?"

"Same old town that it usually is. Never changes, obviously."

"Great...so did you call just to check up on me, or…?"

"Actually, I was thinking, since the holidays are coming up, it's been awhile since the Salvatore brothers have reunited. It's been long enough, I think we're due for a get-together. What do you say, Stef?"

Stefan frowns, staring at the hallway that Rebekah had walked out of minutes before; they were going to spend Christmas together, the Mikaelsons aren't exactly big on holiday reunions and he thought that he'd keep her company. Bringing Rebekah to Mystic Falls would be a disaster, considering what she's done and the people Klaus has hurt, not to mention it's too early in their relationship.

"Could I get back to you, Damon? I'll text you if I'm coming or not, I just need to sort some things out first."

"Okay, yeah, that's fine."

"Great. Thanks for the offer, I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

* * *

"I wonder what they're going to think of your gifts, considering I picked out half of them. Maybe they'll actually be impressed for once," Rebekah teases.

"You know, you're starting to make me think that I should expect a spectacular Christmas gift from you," Stefan smiles, his phone pressed to his ear as he stands outside of the airport, waiting for Caroline to come pick him up. Rebekah is back in San Francisco, both of them agreed it was better if she didn't come but he'll be returning to her in two days anyway.

"I'm not revealing anything about your gift until you get back. It's already so lonely without you, I miss you."

Stefan spots Caroline's car finally pulling up beside him, waving back as she grins excitedly, "I miss you too. Caroline's here, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, Bekah."

"Have fun."

Stefan hangs up the phone, getting into the car and throws his carry-on into the backseat; Caroline hugs him, it's a little awkward since they're already sitting but Stefan doesn't mind, it's nice to be back with her. She pulls away, a big grin on her face and starts driving out of the airport terminal.

"I heard you talking to her," Caroline glances at him, "I can smell her on you too, but don't worry, it's pretty subtle. I don't think anyone will pick up on the fact that it's Rebekah."

Normally Stefan likes the fact that he can still smell Rebekah on his clothes, in his bed and around his apartment, but he tried to make sure that no smell could be picked up for this trip, "That's somewhat reassuring. I'm a little surprised that you picked me up, I thought that you'd be too busy preparing for the party tomorrow."

"I have Matt and Tyler helping with the set up. And I made sure that everyone will be on their best behaviour when you get there, no holiday drama involved."

Stefan chuckles incredulously, "C'mon, it's been more than two and a half years, I doubt things will be tense. Damon was the one who invited me, there's no reason for a fight to break out."

"I guess, but I don't know...things between Damon and Elena are still weird. Every time I bring you up, Elena shuts down and there's no way I'm going to play therapist for Damon and his relationship problems. Maybe at the party, you'll see what I mean. Anyways, how are you and Rebekah doing? It's already been three months, right?"

Stefan ducks his head, smiling a little, "It's going really well. I did think about bringing her, but maybe next time. Things just feel different this time around, it feels _right_. I don't feel like I have to hide when I'm with her, she knows all of me and I'm happy. I guess third's time a charm, right?"

Caroline sighs, shaking her head with a begrudging smile, "I can't say that Rebekah Mikaelson is the girl I had in mind for you, but you deserve to be happy more than anyone else. So, I'm happy you're happy."

* * *

"Stefan, I wanted to introduce you to my boyfriend, Kai Parker," Bonnie says excitedly, and Stefan looks at the guy beside her, smiling and extends a hand.

"Hi, I'm Stefan Salvatore, I'm a friend of Bonnie's and Damon's younger brother. It's nice to finally meet you," Stefan says, shaking Kai's hand. He can kind of see what Caroline meant about him being odd, he has very intense blue eyes that seem to pierce right into you.

"Kai Parker, nice to meet you too. Bonnie's told me all about you, the Ripper of Monterey," Kai chuckles, and Bonnie slaps his arm lightly.

"First of all, I didn't tell you that so you could interrogate Stefan about it, and secondly, next time maybe start with a how are you or was it a rough flight?" Bonnie suggests, giving her boyfriend a look.

"Good point. How was the flight, Stefan, did you feel especially bloodthirsty?" Kai asks comically, glancing at Bonnie with a mischievous look.

"Sorry, Stef, I'm still training him on how to talk to people."

Stefan smiles, "It's fine, most people tend to avoid the subject with me, so I appreciate the honesty."

Kai chuckles jovially, "It really is nice to meet you, Stefan. You're a big hit around here, just like Caroline's cooking. I could really go for some cider, what about you, Bon?"

"C'mon, you know I gotta go with red wine. I'll talk to you later, Stef," Bonnie smiles, letting Kai drag her away with one last wave to Stefan.

Stefan takes a sip of his drink, looking around the boardinghouse; Caroline has clearly gone all out with the decorating, practically every inch of the room is covered with some sort of garland or lights of some kind. Rebekah would probably say that it looks like Santa vomited all over the room, and the thought makes him smile; he pulls out his phone, sending a text to her.

_**STEFAN: maybe for xmas, we should've gone wild with the decorations** _

_**REBEKAH: God no! I like our xmas trees just the way it is, and I've suffered through millions of Christmas celebrations** _

_**REBEKAH: If I hear jingle bells one more time, I'm going to break something** _

Stefan chuckles a little, when he feels someone approach and puts away his phone promptly, looking up to see Damon smirking with a glass of bourbon in hand.

"Merry Christmas, Damon," Stefan says, clinking their drinks together.

"Merry Christmas, brother. How's San Francisco been treating you? Thought you enjoyed more of the small-town life."

"There's a few perks to it," Stefan smiles, thinking of messy blonde hair and light freckles until he notices Damon watching him suspiciously, "There's a lot to do, the weather is pretty nice. What about you, sticking around Mystic Falls. You and Elena haven't thought about travelling anywhere?"

"She's focused on school right now, and we're happy here," Damon replies gruffly, almost sounding defensive, "Plus, she doesn't want to leave Jeremy alone during the holidays or the summer."

Stefan can't say he blames her, considering Jeremy is her only family left and has already died on Elena before. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you guys are happy. It seems like things are working out well for you two."

Damon doesn't reply, merely grunting in agreement and Stefan goes back to silently observing the party. It feels nice to be back in the boardinghouse, he appreciates the familiarity but he can't say he's missed Mystic Falls all that much. A long time ago, he thought that his life would start up again in his hometown, but now this town feels more an heirloom from his past. It's something that he'll always cherish, but ultimately he won't end up returning to.

* * *

Stefan picks up a book off his shelf, looking at the worn cover of War and Peace before placing it back on the dusty shelf; he's in his bedroom, taking in the nostalgia and seeing what he left behind. When he left Mystic Falls after graduating, he'd grabbed only his diaries, some old heirlooms, his clothes but his bedroom was still the same, untouched and quite dusty by now. Stefan supposes that this has been his room for so long, Damon didn't see much point in changing it into a guest room or at least removing some of the furniture.

"I've always liked this room," Stefan turns around to see Elena standing in the doorway, gazing at him with a timid smile, "It's just so _you_ , even though you don't live here anymore."

"It's funny, my place in San Francisco is a lot brighter than here. You'd be surprised by the difference. How have you been? I've been so busy catching up with everyone else, I meant to get around to you."

Elena smiles properly this time, taking a couple steps forward into the room, "I finished my finals, so that's a relief. It's been a successful Christmas so far, it's nice to celebrate with everyone and have you back with us. I'm doing fine."

"I'm glad to hear it, honestly. It was a rough couple years for you, I know that being a vampire isn't exactly ideal, but I'm happy that you're still moving forward and creating a life for yourself, that school is working out and you and Damon are in a good place."

Elena looks down, hiding her face and Stefan gets the sense that she's actually upset, "That's sweet of you to say, Stefan. But...I don't know, things between me and Damon...it's just always been bumpy. Every time I think we're even near a good place, something happens and it's all ruined."

Stefan frowns, "Elena, if you're not happy wi--"

"Hey, it's time for gifts," Damon's steely voice rings through the room, and Stefan turns to see Damon standing in the doorway, arms crossed and glaring at Elena. Stefan suspects an argument is about to arise, and he wants no part in it.

"Great, I'll see you guys down there," Stefan says briskly, brushing past Damon to go back downstairs. He has no interest in being caught in the middle of whatever Elena and Damon are going through, much less get sucked back into their old dynamic that he has no interest in rekindling. He enters the main room of the boardinghouse, noticing everyone is gathered around the tree; Caroline is currently holding his gift, shaking it slightly with a curious expression. "It's delicate, Care."

"Delicate? Stefan, did you actually succeed at gift-giving for once?" Caroline teases, staring at the gift longingly and Stefan chuckles.

"You can open it, I'm not going to stop you."

Caroline immediately rips off the wrapping paper excitedly, gasping as she opens the tiny jewelry box, holding up the bracelet Rebekah picked out, "Omigod, it's so pretty! What gemstone is this?"

"It's called Tourmaline, it's the stone for your birthday month."

"This is a really good gift," Caroline narrows her eyes, giving Stefan a knowing look, "Almost as if someone else picked it out."

Tyler comes over, examining the bracelet and sighs dramatically, "Way to beat me at getting a christmas gift, Stef."

Caroline laughs, kissing Tyler's cheek, "Merry Christmas, everyone!"

* * *

"One minute until midnight. Any thoughts on New Year's resolutions?" Rebekah asks quietly, surrounded by a crowd of people chattering excitedly. They're at Pier 39, celebrating the New Year and the atmosphere is light and hopeful, everyone's with someone they love and there's no room for anything but happiness. Stefan is more than happy to embrace this feeling, especially knowing what this year may bring.

Stefan shrugs casually, smiling, "Travel a little, cook some more, keep dating you. Same old things, you know me."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that. I think I could bear one more year with you," Rebekah teases, a hand on his chest and Stefan rolls his eyes good-naturedly.

"Shut up, I know you actually like me."

"You can be awfully arrogant, you know that? Unfortunately, it does nothing to dull your looks, even though it should."

"Liar. You like me better this way, I know you do."

Rebekah steps closer, wrapping herself around in him and whispers in his ear, "Maybe I do."

The crowd starts counting down excitedly, anticipation rising in the air and Stefan pulls back to look at Rebekah properly, her arms around his neck, "Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!"

Stefan kisses her eagerly, his hands clutching her waist and she tastes like champagne and chocolate. They finally break apart after a moment, Rebekah's forehead against his as fireworks explode across the night-sky. "Happy New Year, Stefan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated! Update coming soon, but it'll take awhile; I only have 65% of chp3 complete, and I already had this chapter completed when I first posted it. So, just be patient and know that this story will have an ending!


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